Mischief Managed
by Rose DiVerona
Summary: The final battle was a year ago, but every time Harry Potter visits the graves of his loved ones, the horrific aftermath of that fight comes back to haunt him.  And the dying words of a certain godfather stay always in his mind...


A/N: My first published HP fanfic!! I've loved Harry Potter for a long, long time, and I've actually started a few different fanfics for it that have gotten pretty far...but haven't been finished. If I get good feedback on this, I may put those up as works in progress. I wrote this a few hours before I went to see Order of the Phoenix in theaters, the day it came out. It's from Harry's point of view, about a year after my version of the Final Battle. In other words, this doesn't build off Deathly Hallows. Alternate Universe. Ready? Here we go...

Diclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter, and does a much better job with it then I would have!

**Mischief Managed**

I stand at the edge of this grave-filled place, unwilling to enter, yet knowing I must. It's been a long time since the end battle, and I should no longer feel so much pain. But the ache is there anyhow, filling my being, and only growing worse at the sight of the tombstones…so many marked by fresh grass.

The last battle of the Second War was fierce. I lost so much that day, and, it seems, gained very little. Voldemort is gone, but so are a great number of my loved ones…

-

"_Harry! He's gone! It's over, he's dead!" Neville shouted from behind me._

_I struggled for the strength to stand. I had used all the power I possessed to defeat the dark wizard. For a moment I thought it wouldn't be enough. But Neville was right. Voldemort was gone, for good this time. I stood shakily and turned to look at my friend._

_His face was bloody and he cradled one of his arms, but he looked all right. He gave me a little smile, but as we averted our gazes and looked around us, our expressions turned to horror. So many dead._

"_Neville…where are the others?" I asked, willing myself not to vomit._

_Wordlessly, Neville pointed a ways away. I stumbled over, unsure if I wanted to see, yet unable to stop myself. Quite a few members of Dumbledore's Army were lying there. I recognized Dean, Parvati, Zacharias, Lavender…and Cho. That was when I did turn and retch up everything I'd eaten in the past couple days, which hadn't been much. Consequently, my heaving turned dry before I was able to stop._

"_Have you…did you see anyone else?" I asked. Neville had come up beside me, but he would not look at the bodies. He'd already seen._

_Before he could answer, a bloodied figure hurried up, staggering and almost falling onto me. It took a moment, but I recognized the person to be Tonks._

"_Tonks! Have you seen the others?" I asked her, "Ginny, Ron, Hermione…? Anyone?"_

_She spoke shakily. "Remus…he's dead, Harry. Fenrir got him just before Minerva came and killed Fenrir. Hermione and Fred are g-gone, too…" Tonks sniffled and started to cry. "They got cornered by too many. I haven't seen anyone else." She took a step and fell over._

_Neville and I both fell to our knees beside her. "Tonks?" I asked, shaking her. She didn't move. Neville felt for a pulse, then sat back, shaking his head._

"_She isn't breathing, Harry. It's too late."_

_It was then I that I saw that Tonks had deep, bloody slashes down her front. It looked as though someone had used Sectusembra on her. It was a miracle she remained alive long enough to tell us all she knew._

"_Come on," I stood up, "We have to find everyone else." I couldn't think about Hermione being dead, I _couldn't! _But Ron would be heartbroken…if Ron was still alive._

_It was a horrible scene, going through so many dead bodies when you were only looking for a few. We passed Bellatrix Lestrange, Padma Patil, and Lee Jordan near each other, as if they'd died battling._

_Then I heard something. A quiet moaning. I hurried over, Neville on my heels. Ron was lying in an odd position, a few of his limbs broken. But he was definitely breathing._

"_Ron!" I shouted, dropping beside him, "Ron, it's going to be okay, you'll be okay. We've found you."_

_He opened his eyes. "Harry? Neville?" A look of relief passed over his face, mixed with confusion. "I was just fighting a Death Eater…I think it was Crabbe's dad…and the next thing I knew, I was lying over here, and I couldn't move…"_

_Tears filled my eyes. "You're okay," I whispered, as much to convince him as to convince myself that not everyone was dead. My best friend was still alive._

"_Hermione?" he asked._

_A single tear slipped down my cheek. "I'm sorry, Ron. She didn't make it."_

_A choked sound escaped him, and tears rolled down his cheeks. "Ginny…Ginny didn't, either! I saw her go down…it was the Killing Curse. I'm sorry Harry!"_

_I felt like my heart had just suffered a sharp blow. Ginny, dead? It couldn't be! I was aware that I was sobbing, too, and Neville joined in._

_Finally, Ron managed, "But Harry…I think Sirius may still be alive. I saw him get blasted off his feet, but it wasn't the Killing Curse. He's over there," Ron pointed in the general direction of the Riddle House. I jumped up._

"_Neville…stay with Ron. Get him help if you can." I raced over to where Ron had indicated. And I saw him._

_He was on his back, staring up at the sky with glazed eyes. At first, I thought he had to be dead. But then he moved ever so slightly, and I practically sprinted to his side._

"_Sirius?" I asked, putting a hand on his shoulder. He jumped, and then his eyes focused on me. What might have been a shadow of a smile turned his lips._

"_Harry…you did it," he whispered, "I'm so proud of you…your parents would be proud, too."_

"_You'll be all right!" I whispered, "We'll get you help. You'll be all right!"_

"_No, Harry…I think my time has come. For real, this time. I will be joining Lily and James…"_

"_And Lupin," I choked, feeling somehow that Sirius had to know this, "He's dead, too."_

"_And Remus," he allowed, "I love you, Harry. Always remember that. And don't be too sad for me." He smiled a little. "After all, death is but the next great adventure." Then he took his last breath and closed his eyes. My godfather died in my arms._

-

Looking at all the tombstones today reminds me of that battle. I am haunted every night by the faces of those whose names I see in stone before me now. They are all in a row. Luna, Hermione, Ginny, Fred, Charlie, Arthur, and Tonks. That doesn't even include all of the D.A. members who met their death. They get their own row.

And then there there's Lupin. He is buried in a different part of the cemetery, next to my mum and dad. Sirius is there, too, right next to my dad.

For some reason, Sirius's tombstone always makes me the saddest. I only knew him for two years before he left me to go behind the veil. Then we only had a couple months, in which there was little time for talking or loving, before the final stand. It doesn't seem fair.

But I will always remember all of these people as my family. That's what they are.

I laugh, just like always, when I see the bottom of Sirius's tombstone. It was his idea, of course. And it makes sense, because the Marauder's Map was his idea. For beneath his birth and death dates, and his dedications, it says two words, very clearly:

Mischief Managed.

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A/N: Reviews are appreciated, and Chocolate Frogs will be awarded to those who do.


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